Major is an unusual and distinctive given name of Latin origin. It means "greater" or "larger". The name Major has been used historically as a surname before it began to be used as a given name in the mid-20th century. Some famous people with the name Major include American baseball player and manager, Casey Stengel, and Canadian ice hockey coach Marc Crawford. There are no specific cultural or historical events associated with the name Major.
The name Major has seen a varying degree of popularity in the United States over the past century. In the early to mid-20th century, its usage was quite rare, with only five births recorded in 1923 and again in 1939. It experienced a brief uptick in 1937 with six births.
However, it wasn't until the late 20th and early 21st centuries that Major began to gain traction as a baby name. In 2013, there were five births with the name Major, marking the start of an upward trend. This trend continued with seven births in 2014, reaching its peak thus far in 2018 with eleven births.
Despite this peak, the popularity of Major has since leveled off and then decreased slightly. There were eight births in 2019 and again in 2020, followed by five births in both 2021 and 2023.
In total, there have been seventy-one babies named Major born in the United States over this span of time. It's clear that while Major may not be one of the most popular names, it has established a niche for itself as a unique choice for parents looking to give their child an uncommon name with a strong, commanding connotation.